The present invention relates to vehicles having surface means for developing increased propulsion efficiency by reducing of opposing forces acting on the vehicle.
As disclosed in the inventors copending application entitled PROPELLED APPARATUS HAVING SURFACE MEANS FOR DEVELOPING INCREASED PROPULSION EFFICIENCIES which was filed on May 16, 1977 with Ser. No. 798,417 development of different crafts for land, air and water transport, significant effort has been directed toward the streamlining of the body. Thus, generally it is assumed that the movement of the craft through the air or water requires the movement of the medium over the surface. Streamlined leading surfaces are provided for gradually moving of the air or water laterally aside to minimize the build up of a compacted mass of the fluid. The forward wall does, of course, because of impacting or smaching into the medium, develop a relatively forward compacted mass and opposing pressure, with the streamlined angular orientation of smooth surfaces providing for the mass to slip off the vehicle's surface and rearwardly from the vehicle. This, however, does result in the medium being carried along the surface and thereby creating a drag characteristic. Further, it is well known in the art particularly as applies to land vehicles and the like, the movement of the compacted mass results in the creation of a reduced pressure at rear end of the moving vehicle. This, of course, in essence creates further drag on the vehicle tending to prevent the forward propulsion and further creating a source of inefficiency.
Although streamlined surfaces have been widely developed, and do in fact contribute to improved efficiency, the present inventor has realized that the prior art approach is only directed toward reducing the effect of the impact forces.
As more fully detailed in the copending application, curved surfaces generally of a wave-shaped configuration are formed on the vehicle with the crest and trough arranged for developing minimum pressure conditions into which the craft moves and/or developing maximum trailing pressure conditions so as to avoid the drag characteristics generally inherent in the craft's movement. Generally, the exterior surface of the craft was provided with a series of parallel and minute wave-shaped flutes extending perpendicular to the direction of travel so as to create movement of the air over the vehicle with a minimum of friction and drag forces.
The fluted surface to the rear of the vehicle was provided with a screen means to accumulate and maximize the air pressure condition to the rear of the craft and thereby enhance the forward propulsion of the vehicle.
Each flute is generally wave-shaped and includes a trough which extends upwardly and rearwardly to a relatively sharp crest and then breaks downwardly and forwardly into the next trough. Small flutes tend to direct the air upwardly and over the crest with a vortex or swirling air pocket within each trough such that the impacting air engages with the vehicle surface only at the flute crest portions and thus with a reduced friction or drag.
Applicant analysis has further indicated that the fluted type surface can be developed to enhance the relative air movement created by the vehicle to generate desirable airflow with respect to the vehicle surfaces to further minimize the conventional retarding forces on the craft.